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The Sullivans have been fighting for custody of their children as they argue injuries to their daughter were caused by a medical condition rather than abuse.
CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga. — A Camden County couple who has been trying for more than a year to regain custody of their three children has had a major setback. The Sullivans have been fighting for over a year to prove that their baby’s injuries were caused by a medical condition and not child abuse.
In Dec. 2023, the children’s father, Corey Sullivan, was charged with child abuse after he and his wife took their 3-month-old daughter to a Jacksonville hospital for a swollen leg. Now we’ve learned Dianna Sullivan, their mother, is also charged in the case. She was arrested at home in front of her children December 28, as their reunification process was progressing. She bonded out the next day.
Her attorney says the timing of the arrest is suspicious.
“I think it’s awfully suspicious that we’re really going towards reunification. We made an enormous step in getting overnight visitations, and then all of a sudden she’s arrested on the same charges 14 months after the fact,” Darice Good said. “To my knowledge, there’s no new evidence.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has not said why Diana Sullivan was arrested 14 months after the alleged abuse.
Her husband, Corey, is set to go to trial next month.
Good says Diana Sullivan had a custody hearing Dec. 11, where it was determined that she would be allowed overnight visitations with the children, supervised by her mother or aunt. Two weeks later, she was arrested.
“She was charged 14 months after her husband was charged and after this case started. So that’s really kind of unusual that you wouldn’t arrest them and charge them both at the same time, but then all of a sudden out of the blue, arrest the mother and give her these charges,” Good said. Now, she says Diana Sullivan cannot have the overnight visits anymore.
“Essentially, as far as the DFACS case, I’m gonna still push for a motion to return custody,” Good said. “You’re innocent until proven guilty. I don’t think it’s fair to use that against parents. Parents get arrested all the time in our state and across the country, and children are not removed from them.”
First Coast News reached out to the GBI Thursday night after hours for comment, and they said they will check into this Friday.
